In July 2025, Eduardo Souto Moura was named the recipient of the PRAEMIUM IMPERIAL, one of architecture’s most prestigious global honours. Presented annually by the Japan Art Association, the award places Souto Moura alongside past legends like Tadao Ando and Renzo Piano — a recognition not only of his prolific body of work, but of the way he continues to shape and influence the built environment with clarity, restraint, and quiet authority.
While the world celebrates his monumental achievements — from the Braga Stadium to the Paula Rego House — a more intimate, unexpected design object carries his signature: a watch. Designed in collaboration with Cauny, the historic Swiss-born, Portugal-based brand, the piece is part of The Architects of Time series — an ongoing project pairing world-renowned architects with the language of horology
Cauny, which had previously partnered with Álvaro Siza, saw Souto Moura as the natural continuation of this vision. “Siza and Souto Moura are best friends,” the brand shares, “neighbours for decades, collaborators in spirit if not in every building. So working with one inevitably led us to the other — quite literally walking downstairs from Siza’s house and knocking on Eduardo’s door.”
Souto Moura approached the watch the same way he approaches architecture: seriously, but with humour. Beneath his dry wit lies a lifetime of thinking — about design, philosophy, literature, and the purpose of things. And in that spirit, his three design requirements were refreshingly strict: as thin as possible, as legible as possible, and fully integrated.
Cauny responded in kind: selecting the thinnest Japanese movement available to create a 5mm case profile, blending brushed and polished steel to highlight structure without show. The dial, in a light architectural grey, is open and readable, featuring a tongue-in-cheek use of Roman numerals — the axes themselves standing in for “I”.
The sapphire crystal is domed to reduce glare and increase clarity. And the bracelet features a curved insert that leaves no gap between strap and case — a seamless transition that mirrors the logic of good building joints.
Throughout, there’s a clear dialogue between form and function, material and meaning. Souto Moura’s deep love for machines — from watches to cars — is ever-present. He often references the Porsche 911, which he famously bought with his fee for the Braga Stadium: a machine that’s evolved subtly over decades, always honouring its original logic. “There’s nothing more pathetic than an old man in a Porsche,” his wife told him at the time — a story he still tells with a hearty laugh. But the point stands: he admires design that works, that lasts, and that doesn’t need to scream to be understood.
“I like this watch because it’s simple,” he says. “You can tell the time well. And it’s like a building: it has to be simple and functional — and if possible, beautiful. Or, as Niemeyer said, ‘it has to be beautiful, and if it works, even better.’”
Discover the watch at cauny.com.
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